Unit Five Project

Unit  Five Project

Introduction:

     The brain is alive, it speaks to our body, and it connects with the:

1. Functioning Heart
2. Functioning Lungs
3. Womb (Where the process of Life begins)
4. All functioning physical systems ( nervous, immune system, gland…etc)

                These functions are all an integral connected community that will not

                 operate well without the other. The brain is the organ that pulls it together, and

                 the mind is the soul of the entire operation.   

Part One: introduce the benefits of “mental fitness”. Include at least 3 research studies that have demonstrated the healing qualities of mental and spiritual focus.

Benefits of Mental Fitness:

1. Connection with the Body
2. Contemplative state of pure awareness
3. Limitless development

   Integral Connection 

     Dr. Candance Pert a researcher and professor at George Washington University discovered that our brain talks.  Pert discovered that the brain carries message from one area of the body to another and each part function separately but are connected to the brain and other parts. This was significant because, the discovery of “neuropeptides” brought about a new understanding in how the brain (mind), functions.

     Dr. Pert stated:  “The mind is the body, the body is the mind.”  What is means is that the condition of the mind is the condition of the body. The mind gave out images, thoughts, & feelings this process alters the physiology to reflect a specific mental state. Therefore if we train our mind to act a certain way our body will react and perform accordingly.

Contemplative State of Pure Awareness:

     Dr. Richard Davidson of the University of Wisconsin performed research on contemplative scholars. The doctor’s research was conducted on the brain, the left and right prefrontal cortex were measured with electrical measurements and functional MRIs. Davidson discovered that the scholars’ showed sign of extra-ordinary function; their mind showed sign of alteration. Davidson determined that “the mind can undergo permanent change when properly trained. It can go from ordinary to extra-ordinary” (Dacher, 2006).  This type of alteration is considered Olympian Mental Fitness.

Limitless Development:

     The mind has the ability to adapt to change; this adaption can affect the function on work and interaction with people.  Dr. Peter Schnall Professor of Medicine at the University of California, conducted research with mid-level managers on stress in the work environment and what he discovered made an impact on how we look at the mind. Dr. Schnall discovered that the mind and body of the mid-level managers were altered by the stress of the work.  Not only did their mind become permanently altered but physically. Those managers who couldn’t deal with the stress, became ill with hypertension, or enlarged heart; while those who could handle the stress become more driven and pushed on.  What this research showed is that the mind altered based on the environment and the body followed. Therefore the physiological affected how the physical operated when faced with stress.   

2.            Part Two: Provide at least two examples of exercises, activities, or practices which can improve mental fitness. Give step by step instructions, explanations etc. and any other information that you believe is important to the development of mental fitness.

1. Visualization - Through imagery of the mind. For example picturing yourself in a place of peace such as a garden full of flowers, envisioning butterflies, cool breeze on your skin, all of these images are called visualization.
2. Meditation- Through stillness and going deep into oneself, you can train the mind to focus on one thing to get to the well of happiness and wellness. Naturally only through practice does one obtain that wealth of healing.
3. Subtle Mind- By stilling the mind and concentrating on your breathing, you find that your mind is calmer, you become more focus and one begins to find purpose what is important and needs to be accomplished.

3.            Summary:

The mind is the mechanic behind how we lead our lives, if we train our mind to make positive steps in the right direction toward health, wellness, happiness, the body will pursue.

Hello & Welcome All!

Unit 2 Blog

I am happy to me experiencing this journey with you and I hope your your feedback  to me will be helpful and benefiical to our wellness. I look forward to blogging with you.

Imebet S.

Unit 2 ( Task Completed)

Unit 2

For this unit, you have four goals in terms of your blogging assignment:

1.             You need to post your URL in the Blog Discussion Board. This is a separate discussion board for just the blog url addresses, and Unit 2 is the only unit that will have it.

Task complete

2.   Decide how you will check your classmates' blogs. Two different ways will be offered and explained. Then, you should set up the method you want to use.

Choice made: Following through googles

3.   You will post both a welcome statement and a reflective statement in your blog. Describe your experience with the Journey On relaxation exercise. To hear it, click here. (To post, all you do is sign in to www.blogger.com/start or go to your blog url and click on "sign in" and type in your email address and password. You will automatically be on your Dashboard. Just click on "new post," put in a title and type your reflection, then click on "publish post" on the bottom of the screen.)

Task Completed:  Welcome statement complete

4.   You will read a few of your classmates' blogs and comment on them on their blogs.

Task Completed

Unit 4 - Loving Kindness

Unit 4

Upon completion of reading chapter 6, review the section ‘Getting Started’ (p.66). Begin practice 1: Loving Kindness. Listen to tracks # 1 and #2 on the Dacher CD. Practice the Loving Kindness exercise this week. In your journal (blog), record your reaction to the exercise.

Answer each of the following in your blog:

1.              Describe your experience. (Did you find it beneficial? Difficult?) Why or Why not? Would you recommend this to others? Why or Why not? I found the the loving kindness experience is a universal experience in that we are giving and receiving. I felt connected in a way I have never felt and it give me a mental strength to use visualization and subtle mind too. But the act of loving kindness is in itself a pure practice. I would recommend the use of this exercise, there are health benefits to using it.

2.              What is the concept of “Mental Workout? What does the research indicate are the proven benefits of a Mental Work Out? How can you implement mental workouts to foster your psychological health? Mental workout is removing the clutter and exercising the mind in way to reach a calm abiding. In reaching this level you can think clear, see your way to a healthy lifestyle. Mental visualization strengthen the mind and that is a form of workout for the mind. Nonetheless, the practice of loving kindness and the subtle mind helps the mind release toxic and embrace the true mind.

Unit 8 Favorite Practice Session

Unit 8

Review the exercises and practice sessions you have completed in this course. (Loving Kindness, Subtle mind, Visualization, meditation etc.) Choose two practices that you have determined to be most beneficial. How can you implement these practices in your personal life to foster “mental fitness”? Provide specific examples.  The subtle mind and Loving Kindness is at the top of my practices, I also enjoy meditation. I have to practice daily in order to get the benefits from the exercises. I know that everyday will be a bit difficult, but I have decided that I must pick a time during the start or end of my day to being and end with my practice. I think that when I exercise my breath, my heart and give myself that love I deserve, my mind  and soul will become more calm and thereby strides to become mentally fit will evolve into mental fitness for me.

Unit 10 Self Improvement Assessment

Unit 10 Blog

Your final blog entry is to summarize your experiences in this course and discuss how it has assisted your well-being and your ability to assist others.

Integral Health has always been an important aspect of my life even when I didn’t understand what is was. What I have discover after taking this class is that we as humans all deserve to be whole. It is a human right to be connected to the universe and knowing it can help us be well. I believe the flourishing human is inside all of us and when we use the resources of meditation, visualization, loving kindness, subtle mind practices, we get a whole lot closer to our real selves.  We must continue to practice this everyday of our lives to get the benefit of the human flourishing. It is in giving that we receive, I think that and believe that we my soul that we must share ourselves so that others will benefit from the tree of life that lives in all of us.

Unit 10 Self Improved Assessment

1.              Review your unit 3 personal assessment of your psychological, physical, and spiritual well-being. Reflect on these areas . How did you score yourself on a scale from 1 to 10 in unit 3? How do you score yourself now? Has the score changed? Why or why not?

1.  Psychologically, I must give myself a 9, at times I thought it would be hard to hold on, but after going through the fire so to speak I come to realized that our minds is what get us where we have to go.  A strong mind is a fit mind, a fit mind is a well mind. Using the practices helps, such as meditation, and visualization. It really works.
2.  Physically, I am a 7 I find myself eating more healthy foods, exercising a bit more and relaxing too when it is called for. I stop and am still within me when I need to be. I still have a way to go but it’s a welcoming journey getting to human flourishing.
3. My spiritual well-being is a 9 I still think there is always more to know and things still unknown. For that reason I am fit spiritually but I can always be better. When we think we are whole there is always something we missed. I can never stop believing, wanting to be closed to my creator and wanting to be whole spiritually.

2.              Review the goals and activities you set for yourself in each area. Have you made progress toward the goals? Explain.  I have made great strides, and it will take time to get there but I will not give up now. I appreciate the instruction and material given, it is useful for a lifetime.

3.              Have you implemented the activities you chose for your well-being in each of the three areas? Explain. I have began exercising more, eating smarter, and praise more?

 I  have also began to use the practice to get my mental, and spiritual being in tune for change. I use the subtle mind exercise and the loving kindness exercise. These practices work for me.

4.              Summarize your personal experience throughout this course. Have you developed improved well-being? What has been rewarding? What has been difficult? How will this experience improve your ability to assist others?  I have develop somewhat psychologically, my mind is more fit and I think that when you are mental fit, you can think clearly the obstacles are place in the right place leaving you to see far and beyond.

Unit 5 Comparison of Loving Kindness & Subtle Mind Practice

Unit 5

Your mental fitness practice this week incorporates the concept of the subtle mind (Dacher p.75). This week, replace the Loving Kindness exercise of unit four with Practice 2: The subtle mind exercise and listen to track #3 on the Dacher CD.

1.  Compare and contrast the Loving Kindness exercise and the Subtle mind exercise.  Explain your experience including the benefits, frustrations etc.

I felt calm-abiding in the subtle mind practice. I could feel my breath with every movement of stillness. The feeling of waves rushing over me made it conscious that a change was taking place in me. I realize that my mind did wonder, but I was able to bring it back to my focal point to continue the process. I sure did calm my mind. The warm I felt from focusing and feeling my breath made an impact that help me to understand loving kindness even more. When I use them together I became more alert mentally and calm physically.

2.  Discuss the connection of the spiritual wellness to mental and physical wellness. Explain how the connection is manifested in your personal life.  If you are not spiritual connected to a purpose, you physical body will show signs of distress.

Even an atheist will feel a disconnection, if they did not have something to connect to within their own spiritual understanding. Therefore once the spirit is well the emotional, physical self will be well too. In my life I stay focus on god who spearheads my being. Without my belief in a superior creator then it would have been something else. I think therefore I am, therefore I believe that I am directed by a higher force that directs the I am in me. This force in me creates the spiritual and physical wellness in me.